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Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, has landed in Luanda, Angola, to pave the way for President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s much-anticipated state visit scheduled for April 7–9, 2025.
Minister Kombo touched down at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport and was warmly received by senior Angolan officials, including the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Administrative and Financial Affairs, Ambassador Osvaldo dos Santos Varela. Also present to welcome him were Angola’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Sandro de Oliveira, and Tanzania’s Ambassador to Zambia, Lt. Gen. Edward Mkingule, who also represents Tanzania in Angola.
This high-level preparatory visit marks the beginning of an important diplomatic engagement between Tanzania and Angola. President Samia’s upcoming visit will be her first to Angola since she assumed office in 2021 and is expected to strengthen the long-standing friendship between the two nations.
Minister Kombo is not alone in this mission. He is accompanied by key figures in Tanzania’s leadership, including Hon. Shaaban Ali Othman, the Minister of Economy and Fisheries from Zanzibar, and Hon. Dr. Stergomena Tax, the Minister of Defence and National Service. A host of senior government officials from different ministries and public institutions are also part of the delegation, signaling the importance Tanzania places on this diplomatic effort.
During his stay, Minister Kombo is expected to hold a series of preparatory meetings and consultations with Angolan counterparts. These talks are intended to iron out final details ahead of President Samia’s arrival and ensure the visit achieves its diplomatic and economic objectives.
The visit is viewed as a significant step in Tanzania’s foreign policy strategy, aiming to deepen regional ties, open up new avenues for trade and investment, and enhance political cooperation.
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Both Tanzania and Angola are active members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and continue to collaborate on peace, security, and economic integration in the region.
This is not the first time the two nations have interacted closely. In late 2023, President Samia attended an emergency SADC summit in Luanda, which focused on peace efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Prior to that, Angola’s President João Lourenço had sent a message of solidarity to President Samia, reaffirming their commitment to closer ties.
With anticipation building, all eyes are now on Luanda as President Samia prepares to embark on what promises to be a meaningful and historic visit—one that could further elevate the diplomatic and economic partnership between Tanzania and Angola.
